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After reading a local newspaper a few nights ago, I feel it would be alright to comment on what it said. the article stated that the public had a view of marshal artists as thugs.

Not trying to get at the person who said this at all, as I used to train with the individual in question. But, and by the way mine is looking very fine on night shift tonight
If people wish to class something they have no idea about why do we feel the need to tell them they wrong . It is not just this comment but in our training and life in general. If someone have no time to get the facts about a subject, why do we feel the need to educate them. As the saying goes 'if ignorance is bliss, than it is foolish to wise' (T, Gray)

True story...I'm going for a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, out in Colorado. About three miles down my favorite trail is an overlook, which is at the top of about eighty feet of sheer cliff. Perched there at the edge is a wooden sign that reads, "Do Not Descend."

If someone have no time to get the facts about a subject, why do we feel the need to educate them.

Because we're nice?

Quote:

Leslie Leoni wrote:

Very True! Fools can't be educated about the finer Arts in life. Why anyone would consider Aikido a "Thug" Sport knows not what they speak about!

Shouldn't we give everybody a chance? If their parents sent them to break the bones of the kid that stole money from them (or worse, they didn't have a parent to talk about it) it's not their fault, they just need to be over-educated, and who knows, they may turn out to be wonderful Aikidokas.

Hi all.
I read the same article, If read 'fully' the person was getting over the point that 'in general' the public perception 'can' associate the 'martial arts' (generic) with aggression and thugs. Maybe by the way it is sometimes portrayed in film/media etc.
I also think the person was actually trying to generate some publicity for a martial arts event to raise money/ awareness for a major charity. And the martial artists involved were anything but thugs - in fact the very opposite - this was one of the objects of the exercise.
As for educating/not educating people - without knowledge - no change - no progress - no understanding. I thought one of the main concepts of aikido/martial arts was positive change through knowledge. To improve the individual!
My apologies if it was not the same article - but somehow I think it was!
Pete

We see Aikido as a cultured art (and other arts for that matter).... Unfortunately, Martials has been associated with bad instances of agression (as posted above).

I'm not really sure how it looks elswhere, but a lot of really skilled MA practitioners in my country.. come from the lower classes... and sadly (this is a statistical fact here) get involved in a lot of crimes and disturbances

Perhaps the article was addressing issues like this? Thuogh I guess they shouldn't have generalized?